Richard J. King Collection 1933-1977, bulk 1934-1949 MS.1986.195 http://hdl.handle.net/2345/1015

Archives and Manuscripts Department John J. Burns Library Boston College 140 Commonwealth Avenue Chestnut Hill 02467 library.bc.edu/burns/contact URL: http://www.bc.edu/burns Table of Contents

Summary Information ...... 3 Administrative Information ...... 4 Biographical Note: Richard J. King ...... 5 Scope and Contents ...... 5 Arrangement ...... 6 Collection Inventory ...... 7 I: Illustrations ...... 7 II: Proofs ...... 7 III: Photographs ...... 7 IV: Printing Plates of Stained-Glass Window Image ...... 7 V: Stamps, articles, and envelopes ...... 7 VI: Christmas cards ...... 7 VII: Miscellaneous ...... 7 VIII: Paintings ...... 7

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 2 - Summary Information

Creator: King, Richard J. Title: Richard J. King Collection Collection Identifier: MS.1986.195 Date [inclusive]: 1933-1977 Date [bulk]: 1934-1949 Physical Description 1 Linear feet (2 boxes) Language of the English, Irish Material: Abstract: The King collection consists largely of drawings, proofs, and prints of various illustrations and other works of art, such as an extensive series of illustrated Christmas cards and some Irish postal stamps by Richard King. The collection also includes photographs and reviews of his work. Preferred Citation

Identification of item, Box number, Folder number, Richard J. King collection, MS.1986.195, John J. Burns Library, Boston College.

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 3 - Administrative Information

Publication Information Processed by David M. Tennant, 2005; revised by Ray Hartley in 2018. This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace.

Restrictions on access Collection is open for research.

Restrictions on use These materials are made available for use in research, teaching and private study, pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source. The original authors may retain copyright to the materials.

Provenance Because the current accessioning system was not used until January 1986, it is not possible to know exactly the dates of acquisition of materials received before that time.

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 4 - Biographical Note: Richard J. King

Richard J. King was born in County Mayo, Ireland, in 1907. Educated "by the Christian Brothers and at the Metropolitan School of Art, Dublin, now the National College," King went on to serve "as chief designer in the studio of the late Harry Clarke, one of Ireland's most noted artists in stained glass." Developing his artistic skills in many different mediums, King "served for many years as the staff artist" of the Capuchin Annual wherein he published many paintings, pen and ink designs, and illustrations for various articles. In 1943, the Capuchin Annual featured King's work in a full-length article also displaying both color and black and white samples from the range of his work, which is largely religious in nature, although his work with secular subjects is substantial. Also nationalistic in theme, a portion of King's work ranges from portraits of various Irish saints to designs employed for a number of Irish postal stamps.

A prolific stained-glass designer, "King's windows and murals decorate many Irish churches and his work has been exhibited in New Zealand and the United States, as well as in Ireland." In 1952, a set of three windows of King's design were permanently installed at the Boston College Library. Remembered as a "great friend," "an engaging raconteur," and "an experienced trout and salmon angler" by friends both among the clergy and outside of it, King, a husband to Alison and father of four children, died in Dublin March 17, 1974, at the age of 64.

Sources:

Richard King: The Artist and His Work, Richard King Exhibition Pamphlet, March 9, 1952, Boston College Library.

"Tributes,"Capuchin Annual, pp. 174-195; quoted from contributor James Campbell

Scope and Contents

The Richard J. King collection consists of reprints and proofs of a range of artwork published largely in the Capuchin Annual, between 1940 and 1949, as illustrations for various articles. The artwork is widely- themed, concerning both religious and secular subjects. The religious artwork includes a number of series of Stations of the Cross and Catholic saints, along with a series of the Sacred Mysteries, all rendered in various aesthetic styles and artistic mediums. The collection includes a large sample of printed Christmas cards designed by King, as well as a small representation in proofs and prints from the larger series of Irish postal stamps King designed. There are also a few reviews of King's work on the Irish postal stamps and a few items of correspondence. Of particular interest are four single stamps as well as an envelope with four stamps postmarked on first day of issue and addressed by King to Rev. Terrence L. Connolly, S.J. at Boston College on April 4, 1949; a short handwritten note to Father Connolly accompanies the postmarked envelope.

The King collection includes color photographs of the set of stained glass windows installed in what is currently the James Jeffrey Roche Room in the Bapst Library at Boston College, along with copper Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 5 - printing plates for two of the images. The photographs also include a number of Stations of the Cross illustrations, originally produced as oil paintings, as well as fourteen of the fifteen Sacred Mysteries of the Rosary originally illustrated by King in an unspecified medium. Lastly, the collection includes two original paintings by King on display in the John J. Burns Library at Boston College: a watercolor, Mountmellick, Offalay, Ireland, which represents the birthplace of James Jeffrey Roche; and a portrait of James Jeffery Roche, rendered in oil. Both are undated gifts of the Eire Society of Boston.

Arrangement

Arranged into eight series. Series I. Illustrations; Series II. Proofs; Series III. Photographs; Series IV. Printing Plates; Series V. Postal Stamps; Series VI. Christmas Cards; Series VII. Miscellaneous; and Series VIII. Paintings.

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 6 - Collection Inventory

Series I: Illustrations, 1940-1949

Capuchin Annual, reprints from series of Irish saints, 1945-1948 Box 1 Folder 1-2

Capuchin Annual, reprints, 1943-1949 Box 1 Folder 3-5

Capuchin Annual, reprints from series of Irish provinces, Box 1 Folder 6 1940-1943, undated

Series II: Proofs, undated

John T. Hughes Memorial Collection, book plate illustrations, Box 1 Folder 7 undated

From a Stations of the Cross series, undated Box 1 Folder 8-9

Uncaptioned illustrations, undated Box 1 Folder 10-12

Series III: Photographs, undated

Artwork, undated Box 1 Folder 13

Paintings, undated Box 1 Folder 14-15

Stained glass window designs, Richard J. King portrait, undated Box 1 Folder 16-17

Series IV: Printing Plates of Stained-Glass Box 2 Folder 1-4 Window Image, undated

Series V: Stamps, articles, and envelopes, Box 1 Folder 18 undated

Series VI: Christmas cards, circa 1952 Box 1 Folder 19-32

Series VII: Miscellaneous, 1977

Presentation placard, exhibition at Boston College; notes by King, Box 2 Folder 5 undated

Copies of articles and photoes, Capuchin Annual, 1943 Box 2 Folder 6

Series VIII: Paintings, undated

Mountmellick, Offalay, Ireland, birthplace of James Jeffrey Roche, object watercolor, undated Watercolor

John Jeffery Roche, oil, undated

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 7 - object Oil painting

Richard J. King Collection MS.1986.195

- Page 8 -